The House of Representatives Committee on Environment has condemned the poor release of funds to the Ministry of Environment in the 2024 budget. Chairman Julius Pondi expressed disappointment during a presentation by Minister of Environment Balarabe Lawal, stating that the inadequate funding led to missed opportunities to address environmental challenges.
Pondi highlighted deforestation, pollution, erosion, and climate change as pressing environmental concerns. Lawal revealed that despite N39.06 billion being allocated to the Ministry, only N1.69 billion was released for project execution, representing a mere 8% of the total capital appropriation.
The Minister noted that the personnel component of the budget recorded 100% performance, with N3.09 billion being released and spent. However, the Ministry left N41.72 million unspent due to late release of funds.
Pondi emphasized the importance of reviewing the budget to set the tone for planning and resource allocation in the 2025 budget. He expressed concern over the removal of the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria from budgetary allocations and urged the Minister to work towards its reinstatement.
The Committee is disposed to increasing budgetary allocations for the environment sector, provided key projects are envisioned to strengthen climate resilience, combat pollution, and enhance community awareness.
